Player Profile: Sue Bird

Sue Bird is arguably one of the best basketball players in the US right now. She is often considered one of the best point guards ever.  After 14 years of playing professional basketball, Bird continues to perform well for her team. Bird is set to represent Team USA in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. This will be her opportunity to earn a fourth consecutive gold medal in basketball.

She is 36 years old and 5 ft. 9in, and was born in Syosset, New York. She has been shooting hoops ever since she was a five-year-old spectator watching her big sister play in basketball games. Bird now wears a number 10 shirt to honor her sister’s birthday which is in October, the tenth month of the year. She credits her sister, Jennifer, for being the reason she plays basketball today.

Sure has been playing professional basketball for 14 years. She played basketball throughout high school and won a number of awards for the sport. While in college, Bird competed in a game against Notre Dame that has been dubbed ‘the best women’s basketball game ever played’.

She won gold medals at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics and is hoping to go on to do the same later this year in Rio. She plays for the Seattle Storm and represents her country at national events.

Speaking of why she started playing basketball, Bird told FIBA: “You just played because it was fun. You played because your friends rang your doorbell and said ‘hey, let’s go’ and you just went, you know. And from there, I started to join teams.” Bird is the most decorated athlete in FIBA history to play in world championships.

Diana Taurasi, author of her biography writes in Bird’s official website, “Even with all her remarkable accolades, Bird is still the kind, sweet, and thoughtful person we all know and love. She's everybody’s favorite teammate, maintains a high appreciation for her fans and habitually gives back to the community from an authentic desire to make the world better. There's something unmistakably genuine, honest, interesting and all-around fun about Bird.”

When asked by KidzWorld whether she had any tips for kids hoping to make a career out of playing basketball, Bird had the following words of wisdom to share: “If that's your dream you have to really work hard for it, but always make sure you're having fun. If it's not fun, then you really have to re-think what you want to do. You always want to be able to smile at the end of the day and have fun out there. I guarantee that if you have fun while you're playing, you'll keep getting better.”